The day has come.  You’ve dedicated your time and put in the work now you and your physical therapist have decided you’re ready for discharge.  So what happens after you have completed physical therapy?

Some patients leave physical therapy feeling 100% and return to their regular active lifestyle and prior fitness routine.  In many cases, though the patients we see are ones that do not live an active lifestyle and have no prior fitness routine. Some patients may only feel 80% better and insurance benefits or financial limitations will not allow continued care. These patients, in particular, are the ones who may leave therapy feeling uneasy or unsure.  They may have many questions they are asking themselves:

• What if I never feel 100%?
• When will I find time to continue the home exercises on my own?
• How long will I have to continue these exercises for?
• What if the exercises feel like they aren’t helping me anymore?
• Will I be disciplined enough to do them?
• What if the pain starts to come back?
• What if I stop doing the exercises?

Exercise After Physical Therapy

Chances are if you are asking yourself any of these questions, you may be someone who requires or would benefit from more guidance moving forward.  Ideally, you would benefit from a long-term fitness routine or group exercise program.  If you are someone who did not exercise regularly prior to staring physical therapy there is a good chance that you will not continue to do the exercise once you are done.  The intentions may be good but many people do fall short.  Some people are disciplined self-motivators but many are not.  Also, it is easy enough to say “I can’t find the time” or “life just got in the way”.   Anyone at anytime can find the excuse as to why they haven’t been able to continue with a routine.

Building Healthy Habits

Most of the time patients attend physical therapy for 2 or 3 visits a week for a few weeks, most commonly between 4 and 8 weeks.  Research says it can take 2 months or more (66 days on average) to form a new habit.  It takes repetition for the new behavior pattern to become imprinted in your neural pathways. In fact, research by Kaushal and Rhodes suggests it takes at least 4 gym sessions per week for 6 weeks to establish an exercise habit. That doesn’t mean you can’t develop an exercise habit by going less frequently; it just means it will probably take longer for it to become automatic.

If you have already been attending physical therapy 2-3 times per week DO NOT stop dedicating that time to yourself when you are done. DO NOT take a week off and decide to figure out the next step later. DO NOT lose your momentum! If you know that you are someone who needs that continued guidance and motivation ask your physical therapist to help you find the right exercise program to start with.  Depending on your fitness level, behavior characteristics and health goals there will be options that are better for some than others.  Fitness is a booming business right now and there are plenty of options out there.  Some people don’t know where to start.  Your physical therapist will have a general knowledge of what types of exercises are done at different fitness facilities, however, depending on where you live these places vary.

Local Recommendations

The physical therapists at BSR Physical Therapy have been doing the research locally here in the Manahawkin, NJ area.  We are helping to build a library of long-term fitness options for our patients.  We want you to succeed in your health goals.

Most recently Dr. Amanda Higgins, Morgan Gamble and I attended a barre class at Black Sheep Studios on LBI.  The fitness studio had a welcoming earthy vibe.  We met with one of the owners Devon who was as personable as they come and full of energy.  It only took one class to know that this is a place where you won’t get lost in the numbers as the class sizes are small and intimate and everyone called everyone else by name.  The instructors paid close attention to form and corrective technique which is a must to get the recommendation from a physical therapist.  Their instructor Wendy provides individualized programs for people with the use of pilates transformers which is a hard find in this area.  They also provide a menu of other unique exercise classes that may be the perfect fit for some of you.

This place is one of many that can help you stay on track.  We want to see you succeed with your health and fitness long term.  Let us help you transition from physical therapy to fitness.

-Dr. Amy McMahon